The excavation at tomb M39
Archaeologists discovered the well-preserved liquid while excavating Tomb M39 at the Shanjia Bao cemetery near Guyuan City in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, according to findings published by a collaborative team of Chinese scholars recently in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports.
The article, named "Decoding alcoholic beverage and brewing practices of the Qin state during the Warring States period (475-221 BC) based on archaeological evidence," was then made available by other science journals.
The cemetery, situated about 1.5 kilometers south of the Great Wall, is believed to have been a public burial ground for garrison troops and local residents, according to ScienceDirect.
It contains 183 burial pits, including 179 from the Qin Dynasty, serving as a final resting place for the soldiers and civilians stationed along the frontier defense line. Tomb M39 sits at the northernmost edge of the cemetery.
